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Throughout
America, Episcopal Churches have long been recognized
by signs that read "The Episcopal Church Welcomes
You." Since 1939, that is what St. John's Episcopal
Church in Odessa, Texas has sought to do: to welcome
others in the Name of Christ. Like other churches,
St. John's began
as a small gathering of seven Odessa families who
prayed together. Its current ministry in the Permian
Basin of West Texas includes worship in the Episcopal
tradition, Christian teaching and fellowship, and
missions of education and outreach that extend well
beyond our walls. By God's grace, St. John's has
had the privilege of welcoming hundreds upon hundreds
of men and women and children throughout its life. |
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 Our
Christian practice is grounded in the Anglican tradition
~~ that is, we have historic ties to the Church
of England whose tradition is distinct from Roman
Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions. Under
the spiritual oversight of the Archbishop of Canterbury,
and in our country, the Presiding Bishop of the
Episcopal Church, Anglicanism combines a Protestant
emphasis on Scripture and individual conscience
with a Catholic concern for worship, order and tradition.
For these reasons, Anglicanism has often been described
as a 'middle way.' The mission of the Anglican Communion
(the worldwide Episcopal Church) extends to all
continents of the earth. |
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part of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas,
St. John's seeks to be a church that, having received
God's hospitality abundantly, extends sacred welcome
to others. Drawing on a rich tradition of sign and
symbol, of song and prayer, we grow in faith deeply
grounded in the life of Christ. I sometimes say
that being a Rector is like trying to herd cats!
To borrow from a nun who set straight a young man
enamored with the monastic life: "Let me tell
you something. We are a community of saints and
martyrs - and the martyrs are the ones who have
to live with the saints!" A diverse community
of races and ages, cultures and backgrounds, the
people of St. John's grow together through worship
and fellowship, teaching and service. A human family
called together by Christ, we are fed spiritually
as we experience God's presence in one another,
nourished by laughter, wisdom and compassion. We
discover through common worship and ministry, that
beneath the diversity of life is a true knowledge
of what matters. God is the source of unity, and
as He teaches us what matters, we support and challenge
each other to listen. |
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